Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus
John 14:12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
The thing about the unconditional love of God is that it’s proactive. God stepped out of heaven, in the person of Jesus Christ, while we were still sinners. He didn’t wait for you and me to clean up our act. He didn’t sit back, like the Pharisees, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, and judge and criticise us.
God looked down on the likes of you and me and said, “Hey, they need help. I’m going to do something about this.”
Of course, that was no surprise to Him. He didn’t wake up one day, shocked, at the sin that was ruining humanity. The sin that was ruining your life and mine. From before the beginning of time, He knew, He always knew, that one day, He would have to do something radical for you and for me.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:6-9)
That’s what love is. That’s what love does. It doesn’t sit back and wait, it steps forward and acts. And love is proven in the suffering of Christ, which was decided upon and which happened before you and I cleaned up our respective acts. In fact it happened because God knew that without that act of radical love, you and I would be doomed to the consequences of our sin.
And that very same love, that very same proactive, radical love, the sort that steps out in sacrifice, rather than sitting back in criticism, is the love that you and I are called to live out in this world. Nothing more and nothing less. Radical, unconditional love. Jesus said this about you and me:
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Sometimes, we just apply that saying to the miracles that Jesus performed. And that’s great. When God performs miracles through us it’s awesome. But the greatest miracle, the greatest work that Jesus performed was His sacrificial love on that Cross. And over and over again, we – you and I – are called to live out that sacrificial love.
The sort that steps forward and acts, instead of sitting back and criticising. Jesus is calling you to great acts of love, in a world that is hurting. In a world that is desperate to receive the love of Christ.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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